Often times over the last few years, the Oklahoma City Thunder felt a sense of disrespect from the rest of the league. It didn't have the national presence that

The Thunder will be involved for Opening Night and Christmas. They'll also be included in the NBA's Rivals Week. To add intrigue during an otherwise mundane part of the season, the league has branded the Jan. 20-24 period as when rivals clash.

Fans strongly reacted to the major disparity in national TV games between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers.

All-Star forward Paolo Banchero has delivered as the Orlando Magic's No. 1 pick, but debates about his status continue.

Oklahoma City’s title defense features marquee matchups, heavy national TV exposure, and challenging road swings from October to April.

The NBA returns to NBC on October 21 with a Houston-focused opening night: the defending champion Thunder host the Rockets, featuring former stars Durant and Green. Later, Warriors face Lakers in a classic showdown.

Despite winning their first-ever NBA championship, the success for Oklahoma City didn’t stop there. Unlike teams such as the Jazz or the Sixers, the Thunder arguably had the best draft out of any team in the NBA.